Leaving waves of controversy in its wake upon its debut in 1992, Mortal Kombat was the first arcade title to challenge Capcom’s Street Fighter II for arcade dominance and, for the most part, not only succeeded in doing that but also carved out its own niche in the process. Using motion-captured actors to portray its motley cast of 1980s action film-inspired cast, Mortal Kombat also stood out in the fighting game scene because of its use of what were considered ultra violent finishing moves called fatalities. Spawning congressional hearings and an eventual video game rating system, the original Mortal Kombat arcade is a time capsule of the zeitgeist that was the early 1990s.
Among its cast of iconic characters was a ninja assassin by the name of Sub-Zero. Capable of channeling ice and frost, Sub-Zero is the Mortal Kombat series fan favorite but not only because of his cool moves set. Sub-Zero also has a history and in this article we’re going to tell you five things you might not have known about Mortal Kombat’s iconic Lin Kuei ninja.
5. Sub-Zero Died in the First Mortal Kombat
That’s right – the first Sub-Zero we meet, the very same one who stole our hearts, gets killed by Scorpion in the first arcade game. Sent by the Lin Kuei to assassinate Shang Tsung, Sub-Zero is thwarted and his spirit sent to the Netherrealm. The first Sub-Zero’s name is Bi-Han and the man who took up the mantle of Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat 2, Kuai Liang, is the Sub-Zero we all know today. Somewhat confusing isn’t it? Not only did Kuai Liang take up Bi-Han’s mantle in Mortal Kombat 2 but he also assumed the former’s longtime rivalry with Scorpion.
4. Noob Saibot is Bi-Han
Along with the factoid revealed above, the mysterious shadow ninja that makes an